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Kamen Rider Spirits Chapter 2: The Lone Battlefield Part 1
is second chapter and the first of a two-part story arc in Kamen Rider Spirits. It introduces readers to Kamen Rider 2. Synopsis Kazuya receives an e-mail from Takeshi Hongo telling him he has finally found where Hayato Ichimonji is hiding. Kazuya heads to the war torn Republic of Gamon to follow leads on the whereabouts of Hayato, which include a local legend about a "demon with blood red fists". He finds Hayato volunteering at a clinic, but he does not seem interested in the events of New York or willing to help.... Plot At the diner in New York City, Bridget shows a copy of the morning paper with a photograph of Kamen Rider 1 on the front page. Kazuya admits their fight in New York was a bit "too flashy" while Spike sits at the counter and gorges on onigiri. Bridget expresses excitement and wants to know more about the masked hero from Kazuya despite not believing his story before. He says that Kamen Rider 1 is his friend and Bridget realizes that the Rider's number in his title implies there is possibly more than one. Kazuya receives an e-mail from Takeshi Hongo who tells him he has found where Hayato is hiding. Kazuya says that he does indeed have another important friend and he is going to meet him. Kazuya boards a plane to travel to a war torn country called the Republic of Gamon to find Hayato. After departing from the Republic of Gamon International Airport, Kazuya gets an offer to get a ride into town by one of the locals. The local asks if "The Demon" is in America too, pointing to Kazuya's newspaper image of Kamen Rider 1. Before Kazuya can explain, he sees an Army truck and asks what is going on. The local says that it is General Gwin's transport, the leader of Gamon's latest coup and they are about to recapture him, pulling out a gun. A swarm of guerilla combatants emerge and open fire with Gwin's army retaliating by firing back. Kazuya ducks underneath a fruit crate and is surprised and annoyed he found himself in the middle of a fire fight. The local who was helping Kazuya points his gun at him and tells him that the citizens of Gamon are committing a revolution to let the true leader of the nation reign once more. The local guerilla tries to take Kazyua as a sacrificial hostage, but Kazuya slides under him, disarms his gun and puts him in a hold. He then interrogates the man about the legend of the Demon. The Guerilla says that he has heard tales of a monster who appears on the fields of battle and destroys armies on both sides, but unlike the one in Kazuya's paper, The Demon has fists stained in red blood. Kazuya realizes that description matches Hayato's Rider form. During the commotion, General Gwin is shot, depriving the militants of their hostage and the gunfire ceases with countless people injured or dead. Kazuya punches the militant and is outraged such a conflict is going on, calling the people idiots for thinking all this bloodshed will lead to peace. Later, he takes the injured to a temple that has been converted into a medical clinic, seeing the children of this country with despondent looks on their faces. He asks one of the children where the doctor is, only to be scolded by said doctor to bring in the wounded. She then cries out for Hayato to come out and help, much to Kazuya's surprise, who then asks if this Hayato is Hayato Ichimonji. She says yes and Hayato is seen trying to take pictures of the local children, trying to convince them to smile for the camera and even trying to make funny faces in the hopes they would laugh. Kazuya sees him with the silly face and after an awkward moment the two joyously greet each other, with Kazuya punching him in the gut for not contacting him all these years. After talking for a bit, Hayato learns that Takeshi may face a new threat. He expresses that he is not interested in helping as Takeshi can handle it on his own. Kazuya is shocked at first but then inquires Hayato about the Demon legends and if that was indeed him that did it. Hayato teasingly calls him an idiot and the two briefly scuffle before Dr. Mami shouts at them. Hayato apologizes and the two go into the clinic and spend the day helping the patients, doctors and feeding the villagers food. Kazuya is wondering why he is even here as Hayato is a man who can save the world and isn't the type to hide in some corner of the globe and work in a soup kitchen. Dr. Mami walks in and says that while she knows nothing of the man's past, as far as she's concerned Hayato is being himself and Kazuya should leave him alone. She shows Kazuya pictures Hayato took, as he originally came to Gamon as a war correspondent photographer. A majority of the pictures are of children, none of them with smiles on their faces. Dr. Mami says that there is no reason for these children to smile about as their homes are constantly burned down and their families are killed in the civil wars that plague the nation, even losing faith in adults as they all contribute to their suffering by fighting. The kids are so scared to trust anyone that they avoid Dr. Mami even when she tries to treat them, not allowing her to get near them. Dr. Mami says she has been in this region for 4 years and despite her medical colleagues urging her to get out of the country as the fighting escalates, she refuses to give up. She feels she has accomplished nothing until the children are able to smile and allow her to treat them. She then expresses her hatred for the Red Fist Demon, saying that despite his efforts to fight both sides, he seems to only prolong the war as she thinks there is something the demon hopes to be gained from defeating both armies. If he is keeping the fighting going, he is indeed a demon. Later that night, a news report over the radio reveals that General Gwin has been abducted and his ambulance that carried him is missing. Hayato checks in on the children and tucks them in bed, saying it isn't scary for them when they sleep. He flashes back to a war zone where he tried to stop the fighting as Kamen Rider 2, seeing bodies mutilated everywhere, noting whatever did this tore them apart in a manner that didn't match any gun or bladed weapon. He hears a soft sound and sees a family crying and in shock, now frightened of his appearance. He tries to explain that it wasn't him that did all this but they scream in terror as he tries to get closer. A firefight breaks out near the clinic, with an angry Dr. Mami calling the soldiers fighting idiots as the children who see this think all people are demons. Seeing the conflict enrages Hayato, which scares the kids as the surgical scars on his face from his cyborg conversion glow as a side effect of his rage. He tries to comfort them, but they think he is a Demon. He rides off and laments that despite not killing any soldiers, he is considered a demon. He then sees the aftermath of the conflict with the same results as before, a dying soldier saying only one word: "Demon". Hayato's cybernetic super hearing picks up the sound of a tank heading for the clinic. Back at the temple, Kazuya demands to know why the army want to open fire on a medical facility as there are only wounded and children there. General Nyugen states that it may be below human standards, but the act shall be a great declaration to the Republic and the advanced countries will be forced to sign their treaties after they see the advanced weaponry they now possess. The general declares that all should die as that is what those "cast away by God" deserve. Kazuya recognizes those words are similar to words from Father Petrescu and fights one of the soldiers, who was the local guerilla from before. He begs Kazuya to kill him, revealing he is some kind of cyborg when Kazuya tries to punch him with his modified brass knuckle and the soldier's face skin comes off. General Nguyen aims the tank at the clinic, with Kazuya in the line of fire, then fires a shell. A red fist appears and the shell stops and explodes away from Kazuya and the civilians, revealing Kamen Rider 2 has arrived. Kazuya calls him by his real name much to the shock of Dr. Mami. One of the Commandos tries to kill Kamen Rider 2, but he defeats him with a Rider Punch, the commando thanking him for killing him. Enraged, General Nyugen demands that the man before him identifies himself and asks that he state his objective. Kamen Rider 2 slowly walks over to the enemy forces saying only: "KAMEN RIDER 2! Justice!" Characters Allies *Kazuya Taki *Dr. Mami *Bridget *Spike *Hopkins Villains *General Nguyen **Commando Roids Notes *The final panel of this chapter has become a Japanese internet meme with many artists replacing the image of Kamen Rider 2 with another Rider or a different Japanese superhero such as Cure Peach of the Pretty Cures. Category:Kamen Rider Spirits Chapters Category:Kamen Rider Spirits